Critical positions on Advertising.

Negative social force. 

No escaping advertising in modern society.
-Images - instructions
-Ideologies - Fantasies

Promise better yet belittle current lives!
POSSIBLY THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MEDIA IN THE MODERN WORLD.

1990s - 11000 new TV adverts in UK alone
Britain produced 25 million different print adverts.
Almost becomes an integrated part of lives. Because of the visual onslaught that is advertising.
Visual rapery?
Commodity culture. 
We construct identities through material possessions.
APPLE.
Brand status.
-based upon artificial life
pretending, gaining superficial status.


KARL MARX
Philosopher and theorist.
Analysis of capitalism
Capitalist stance, Marxist...

They are measured by what they own & buy.
What we buy is what we are as opposed to what we can give to the world.
Commodities.
-things bought and sold in a capitalist system.
"publicity is the process of manufacturing glamour" through a state of envy.

The 'Stanley' range.
Selling commodities on their virtues.
Based entirely on the products merit.

The 'Uncle Sam' Range
Begins symbolic associations.
1876
This moves on from the commodities merit to the dream. Implies that you'd be a better person for having it. Almost criticises those without.




Commodity self.
Spend money to fit with the promise of adverts to make you feel richer by in turn making you poorer.

Symbolic associations.
CK ONE
-symbolically associated with beauty
-popularity
-sex
-youth
-style
-glamour
-trend
-fashion
-sophistication.
21st century sexuality

Commodity culture perpetuates false needs?
by trading on the feeling of belonging.
-aesthetic innovation
-planned obsolescence
-novelty
don't actually need things so they NEED to trick them. 

We are fooled into believing that the product will give us these things.
CREATES FALSE NEEDS !

After time, commodities become an addiction
as opposed to just a false need.

cynicism of companies 
-they know exactly when to release things in order to get the most money out of it.
 
Aesthetic innovation
making something look better/newer/sexier than before.
Tactically releasing products
-continually giving items tiny adjustments that make people want it.
conspicuous consumption.

Commodity fetishism...
Something people use to conduct a relationship through them. Sex appeal is then placed onto this object.
Term defining what commodity culture is about and how it continues to function.

History of items is concealed so they appear better (sweat shops)

Reification. 
-situation where things start to appear human
-object becomes more personified.
-people become more like the objects

forget about the nature of things as they become magical.

DE-HUMANISED SOCIETY
John Berger. 
-ways of seeing
reality of Nike trainers.
Advertised as empowering women.
yet produced by female slaves in sweat shops.

role of models becomes similar to those portrayed by goddess


people used art and culture to show their status amongst the elite. 
now it is with technology instead...now through advertising.


brings economical benefit.
encourages business & growth 
produced radical changes in advertising.
also good for challenging stereotypes yet bad for perpetuating myths!


Communication in a limited/reductive manor. society has a tendency to do the same. 
 7% of society owns 84% of the worlds wealth.